Ko Itakura

29 yrs · Centre-back · Japan
Ajax Amsterdam · Eredivisie · Foot: right · Height: 188 cm
Risk: ModerateConfidence: MediumSample: MediumDevelopment: LowContract: until 30 Jun 2029
Market value
€8.0M
Updated 6 days ago
Estimated acquisition
€2.3M – €7.8M
Estimated · 20–80% range
Model value
€1.9M – €4.9M
Performance-implied · estimated
Projected (24m)
€2.1M – €5.4M
Resale range · estimated
Potential value gap
-€5.9M – €2.6M
Model value − acquisition

Value picture

Where the market, the likely price and the model estimates sit.

Estimated acquisition€2.3M – €7.8M
Model value (performance-implied)€1.9M – €4.9M
Projected value (24 months)€2.1M – €5.4M
Dashed line: current market value (€8.0M). Bars are 20–80% model ranges; tick = median.

The model rates Ko Itakura's performance-implied value at EUR 1.9M-4.9M, below the estimated acquisition range of EUR 2.3M-7.8M. Its 24-month market value projection is EUR 2.1M-5.4M. Confidence is medium: no event-level data (xG, progressive actions) is available from the current free source, and injury history is unavailable.

Bargain Index: 5

What drives the score. Not a black box: each component and its level.

PerformanceAbove average62.9th pct among DEF peers (age-neutral)
AgeUnfavorable29.4 years
Acquisition costFavorableest. €5.4M vs market €8.0M
Expected appreciationVery low-60% over ~2 years (model)
Value gapVery negativeweak predictor on its own
DevelopmentLow
League translationUncertainleague coefficient 0.43
Tactical fitNot evaluatedRequires event/role data not available from the current free source.
RiskModerate
Data confidenceMedium

Bargain Index = percentile (among all evaluated players) of expected 2-year value relative to estimated cost. See methodology and backtests.

Market value history

Market value ≠ transfer fee ≠ acquisition cost.

Highest recorded: €15.0M

Profile vs positional peers

Percentiles among 1268 evaluated DEF players with 900+ minutes.

Performance (last season, league)

Minutes
1344 (44% of available)
Goals + assists / 90
0.07
Context-adjusted G+A / 90
0.05
xG, xA, progression
Data unavailable
Defensive actions
Data unavailable
Performance percentile
63 (Above average)

Adjusted = shrunk toward positional baseline for small samples, corrected for team dominance over opponents, expressed relative to positional peers in the same league.

Context

League strength
0.43 (rank 15)
Team strength (Elo)
1405
Opponent strength
1302
Possession, role
Data unavailable

League strength 1.00 = average club of the big-five leagues. Elo includes continental matches.

Potential

Development
Low
Trajectory
declining
Breakout probability
Age > 23
Resale range (24m)
€2.1M – €5.4M

Trajectory drivers: minutes share down 47 pts; changed club; league level down (-205 Elo); relative output down 60% vs positional peers.

Historical comparables (8): median 2-year value change -44% (IQR -68% to -21%).

Risk profile

Overall: Moderate

  • ⚠Limited sample: 1344 league minutes last season.
  • ⚠League level coefficient 0.43 (1.00 = big-five average): output may not translate.
  • ⚠Declining trajectory versus previous season.
  • ⓘInjury history unavailable from current data source.

League translation

What happened to players who moved from this league to the big-five leagues (observed, not a forecast).

Historical movers
82 (DEF)
Relative output kept
65%–166%
Held a regular role (900+ min)
78%
Confidence
Medium

Output is relative to positional peers in each league. Movers are a selected group (clubs buy players who fit), so treat this as context, not a guarantee.

Season-by-season (domestic league)

Context-adjusted values are model outputs.

SeasonClubLeaguePosAppsMinMin shareGAG+A/90Adj. G+A/90Opp. EloTeam EloLeague str.
2025/26Ajax AmsterdamEredivisieCB18134444%100.070.05130214050.43
2024/25Borussia MönchengladbachBundesligaCB31279091%310.130.12149814270.94
2023/24Borussia MönchengladbachBundesligaCB20159952%300.170.13151114351.01
2022/23Borussia MönchengladbachBundesligaCB24198265%020.090.07152514991.04
2020/21FC GroningenEredivisieCB343060100%110.060.05136313250.56
2019/20FC GroningenEredivisieCB22166971%000.000.03136813450.62

Cups & continental competitions

SeasonCompetitionClubAppsMinGAAvg opp. Elo
2025/26Uefa Champions LeagueAjax Amsterdam6455001633
2025/26World CupJapan212901—
2025/26Knvb BekerAjax Amsterdam18100—
2024/25Dfb PokalBorussia Mönchengladbach218010—
2023/24Dfb PokalBorussia Mönchengladbach213500—
2022/23Dfb PokalBorussia Mönchengladbach19000—
2020/21Knvb BekerFC Groningen19000—
2019/20Knvb BekerFC Groningen19000—

Small continental samples are shown for context only and are not over-weighted.

Historical comparables

Most similar profiles 2+ years ago (same position group) and what happened next. Chosen by similarity only — failures included.

Player (then)AgeValue then~2y laterOutcome
Srdjan Babic
Premier Liga · 2024
28€4.0M€4.0Mflat
Abdoulaye Seck
Jupiler Pro League · 2022
30€3.0M€1.0Mfell
Ivan Ordets
Premier Liga · 2022
30€5.0M€2.5Mfell
Cristian Ramírez
Premier Liga · 2021
27€6.0M€5.0Mflat
Georgiy Dzhikiya
Premier Liga · 2023
30€7.5M€2.0Mfell
Clinton Mata
Jupiler Pro League · 2023
31€4.5M€3.5Mfell
Vitor Hugo
Super Lig · 2023
32€4.5M€700kfell
Oleg Reabciuk
Premier Liga · 2024
26€4.0M€2.5Mfell

Transfer history

Fees as reported by the source; undisclosed fees shown as unknown, never estimated.

DateFromToFeeMV at time
8 Aug 2025MönchengladbachAjax€10.5M€12.0M
2 Jul 2022Man CityMönchengladbach€5.0M€5.0M
30 Jun 2022FC Schalke 04Man CityFree / loan€5.0M
19 Aug 2021Man CityFC Schalke 04Free / loan€3.5M
30 Jun 2021FC GroningenMan CityFree / loan€3.5M
27 Jul 2020Man CityFC GroningenFree / loan€800k
30 Jun 2020FC GroningenMan CityFree / loan€800k
15 Jan 2019Man CityFC GroningenFree / loan€700k
14 Jan 2019Kawasaki Front.Man City€1.1M€700k
31 Dec 2018Vegalta SendaiKawasaki Front.Free / loan€175k
1 Feb 2018Kawasaki Front.Vegalta SendaiFree / loan€175k
1 Feb 2015Frontale U18Kawasaki Front.UnknownData unavailable

MoneyballAI identifies statistical opportunities from available data. A player flagged as a potential bargain is not guaranteed to succeed, to transfer, to rise in value, or to generate resale profit. Market values, fees and contracts come from third-party sources; ranges are model estimates with stated confidence.